Soft sided insulated containers have become popular for carrying either articles that may best be served cool, such as beverages or salads, or warm, such as appetizers, hot dogs, and so on. Such containers are frequently used to carry liquids, whether hot liquids, such as soup containers, coffee or tea, or cold liquids such as beer, pop, juices, and milk. Where cooling is desired, such as for canned beverages, the cooler may tend also to carry ice. The containers are typically made in a generally cube like shape, whether of sides of equal length or not, having a base, four upstanding walls, and a top. The top is generally a lid which opens to permit articles to be placed in, or retrieved from, the container.
By the nature of their use, it is advantageous for the containers to be water tight. That is, whether to hold melted run-off from ice cubes or to hold spilled liquids, the container must be sufficiently liquid tight that it does not leave a trail of drips, or become moist or sticky to the touch of a person carrying the container.
The use of loose ice within the container may be problematic. It may be desirable to employ a thermal energy storage member, such as an ice pack or a heating pack. It may be desirable to employ a pack that is easily inserted or removed, and yet that is retained in an unobtrusive location.